49ers seek strong pass rusher

Since 2003, NFL players have racked up double-digit sacks in a season 94 times.

Not once did it happen for the 49ers.

Keep that in mind Saturday when the 49ers have the No. 10 pick in the draft. A handful of promising edge rushers might still be on the board, perhaps including Texas' Brian Orakpo, Penn State's Aaron Maybin, Florida State's Everette Brown and Tennessee's Robert Ayers.

For a team starved for a pass rush in its 3-4 alignment, that's a tantalizing buffet. The 49ers have a long list of draft needs, but finding someone to bring heat on the opposing quarterback retains its annual spot near the top of their list.

As Coach Mike Singletary said near the end of last season:

"I want to sack the quarterback as much as we possibly can, so, no, I'm not satisfied. "... I just think that in that area we know that we have to get better. And we will."

The 49ers ranked 21st in the NFL in sacks per pass play last season. Maybin and Orakpo are among those who might provide a cure.

Maybin showed elite first-step quickness in leading the Big Ten with 12 sacks last season. He remains raw — just one full season as a starter — but his 6-foot-3, 249-pound frame comes with upside. He has drawn comparisons to Indianapolis Colts defensive end Robert Mathis.

Orakpo won the Nagurski Trophy last season as the nation's top defensive player. Teammates even came up with a nickname for him — "Oh-sack-po" — after Orakpo recorded 11﻿1/2 sacks, 30 quarterback hurries, 19 tackles for a loss and four forced fumbles.

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Then again, with so many consecutive losing seasons, the 49ers' list of draft-day needs runs much deeper than a single item. Four seasons after Scot McCloughan took on the job, his rebuilding effort still looks like a construction zone.

Aside from a pass rusher, the 49ers need help at tackle, safety and inside linebacker. (A list that might get thrown out the window if Michael Crabtree, the scintillating Texas Tech receiver, slips to No. 10 because of injury concerns).

The 49ers need a long-term answer at quarterback, too, although it seems unlikely that they would jump on USC's Mark Sanchez, even if he remains on the board at No. 10.

Look instead for the 49ers to find a passer with a middle- to late-round pick and groom him under the radar for a season or two.

As he said repeatedly during a tame free-agent season, McCloughan wants to build through the draft. Even the 49ers' signings did little to rule out possible picks.

Marvel Smith, for example, is likely only a short-term fix at right tackle. Smith, 30, managed only five games last season because of back problems.

He says he's healthy again, but, burned by Jonas Jennings' lack of durability, the 49ers understand better than most teams the need for depth up front.

They probably pick too low to get Baylor's Jason Smith or Virginia's Eugene Monroe, but Alabama tackle Andre Smith could be there as a roll of the dice because of questions about his character. As Pro Football Weekly wrote of Smith: "Too soft-bodied and soft-minded."

Getting back to the defensive side, neither of the 49ers' starting safeties had an interception last season. The 49ers liked free safety Mark Roman's veteran savvy, but they need a rangy playmaker. Dashon Goldson is penciled in as the starter, but the team could consider Western Michigan's Louis Delmas, who had four interceptions last season, shows a good closing burst and has a knack for being around the ball.